I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a sucker for old stuff. Whether it’s photographs, books, typewriters, furniture — you name it, I can’t get enough of it.
I actually spent a good amount of time this past weekend exploring antique stores and scouting out garage sales, and it got me thinking about all of the crazy and wonderfully tacky things that made my childhood awesome.
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Come on, take a stroll down memory lane with me!
1. This juice pitcher
Ah, Tupperware! No childhood was complete without it. I am 99% sure my mom still has one of these, and I remember it always being filled with water or some sort of sugary drink when my brother and I were kids.
2. Everything Pyrex
This was the dinnerware of my childhood. I remember using these plates like it was yesterday, and I actually saw a complete set during my antiquing adventures this weekend. I’m not going to lie, the thought of buying it did cross my mind.
3. Rooms covered in wood panelling
My grandparents’ basement was floor-to-ceiling covered in wood paneling, and I remember it being very dark down there. But that was the thing to do back then! If your home wasn’t filled with dark wood panels and shag carpet, you were doing it wrong.
4. These candies
I’ve never liked these, but they were always around whenever we went to visit my grandparents. I distinctly remember them having a chewy center, which I wasn’t a fan of at all.
5. This couch
Oh, I knew multiple people who had this couch and a bunch of other furniture just like it! And it wasn’t fun sitting on them in the middle of summer either — might as well have wrapped yourself in a fleece blanket!
6. Royal Danish cookie tins
This image probably brings back a lot of bad memories for some of you. Everyone knows there were never actually any cookies inside of these tins! They were always filled with sewing supplies or random nuts and bolts. Talk about a letdown.
7. Doilies
I don’t know about you, but every side table and shelf in both of my grandparent’s homes were covered with three things: framed family photos, random knickknacks, and doilies.
8. Pantries full of homemade canned goods
One of my favorite parts of going to visit my grandma was checking out all of the cool things she had preserved in her pantry. She always made delicious treats, like canned peaches, chutneys, and, of course, jams!
9. A never-ending supply of Tupperware
If your home had that juice jug from page one, it was probably chock-full of other Tupperware necessities, like plastic storage containers, measuring cups, and dinnerware. And, chances are, you or someone in your family hosted their fair share of Tupperware parties!
10. Telephone alarm clocks
Technology at its finest, don’t you think?! While my dad didn’t have this two-in-one combo, he definitely had the alarm clock portion, and I’m pretty sure he just got rid of it within the last few years.
11. This clock
My mom had one of these and I always thought it was so pretty. Now these golden beauties fill the shelves of thrift stores across the country — which kind of makes me sad.
12. Astroturf carpet
Did your loved ones think covering sun room floors and cement staircases with astroturf was a good idea? Mine did, so don’t worry, you’re not alone. Some design choices are just so precious, aren’t they?
13. This desk lamp
Again, this is something I vividly remember being in our house growing up. It was my dad’s lamp, and that bright green shade will probably live in my mind forever!
14. Encyclopedia collections
Fact: a collection of encyclopedias similar to this is still sitting on a bookshelf in my parents’ basement. My mom hates them but my dad can’t bring himself to get rid of them.
15. Paneled Station Wagons
Finally, if you didn’t ride in the back of one of these (sans seat belt) then you haven’t lived. My aunt had a paneled station wagon and we went on multiple car rides together with our cousins jam-packed in the trunk.
How many of these do you remember from your childhood? Let us know in the COMMENTS and then SHARE this article with others.
